Harry Potter and the Bringer of Light
by Merry Took
Summary: Harry looked up to see Lucy Thompson creeping down the stairs, her long orange hair trailing in a braid down her back. She noticed him immediately and froze.


Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters in the series. I only own my original character. I hope you like her!

_**Authors note: One of my best friends gave me the idea for this story. She is a lot like my new character. I hope you enjoy her and the whole story! The story, as lame as it may sound, means a lot to me and my friend!**_

**Harry Potter and the Bringer of Light**

The first two months of Harry Potter's sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry were absolute torture! He thought his fifth year had been as difficult as it could possibly get, but he was wrong – dead wrong. He went to the annual Halloween feast knowing that he still had a DADA essay, Charms essay, Potions essay, and a transfiguration project all due within the next two days. Harry glanced up at the staff table, and his eyes first came to rest on the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Professor Forgindryf was no Professor Lupin, but Harry liked him almost as much. And he certainly was an improvement from Dolores Umbridge. He, at least, let them practice magic in class, and they had already learned a lot.

Professor Sinistra sat to Forgindryf's right, and Professor Flitwick was on her other side. Dumbledore was on Flitwick's right, in the middle of the table as usual, watching them all happily. Professor McGonagall was on the headmaster's right sipping pumpkin juice, but the chair next to her's was empty. Professor Snape always sat there next to McGonagall, and Harry could not remember a time he wasn't present at a meal, even if he didn't eat. Hermione must have noticed this too because she spoke up not long after Harry noticed.

"Where's Professor Snape?" she asked curiously. Harry shrugged, and Ron instinctively turned to look.

"Beats me," Ron replied. "Maybe he's been sacked!"

"What for, Ron? And why now and not before the term started?" Hermione asked, obviously not even considering it.

"For being a bloody git, and because Dumbledore can do whatever he wants when he wants," Ron replied proudly.

"Oh, honestly!" Hermione huffed.

The conversation ended there, and they continued to eat their large holiday dinner as normal with Hermione ragging on them about procrastination and beginning to prepare for next years N.E.W.T.'s. Harry half – listened and let his mind wander. He let his gaze drift to the staff table once more, and his eyes fell on McGonagall. She was looking uncharacteristically nervous and fidgeting in her seat. Then the door behind the staff table opened and Professor Snape stepped inside. Attempting not to draw too much attention, he sat in his chair next to Professor McGonagall and nodded once at her. McGonagall nodded back, stood, and swiftly and quietly left through the door that Snape had just entered through.

"What's going on?" Harry asked Hermione who had only seen McGonagall leave.

"I don't know," she responded.

There questions were answered shortly after as the door opened once more to reveal Professor McGonagall leading out a small girl – a very small girl. She looked as though she was barely 5 feet tall. She had bright orange hair that was pulled back messily in what was probably meant to be a bun on the back of her head. Her skin was milky white and she had several freckles along her cheekbones. She had big, deep, black – onyx eyes which were darting wildly around the room, but she did not look particularly nervous. Harry noticed now that McGonagall had been carrying the Sorting Hat and a stool.

"May I have your attention please?" McGonagall asked needlessly. The entire school was already watching. The red – headed girl was now staring intently at her face. "Now, today we have a new student. This is Lucy Thompson. She will be joining the sixth year class. She has been educated at her home prior to coming the Hogwarts, and I expect all of you to give her a very warm welcome. Now, have a seat dear."

The girl did as she was told while never taking her eyes off the professor's face. McGonagall patted her shoulder, and the girl turned around to face the house tables. McGonagall placed the hat on her head, and the girl jumped and nearly fell off of the stool. However, she quickly regained her composure and her cool, impassive expression returned. Although, Harry noticed that she kept a very firm grip on the sides of the stool. Though it was only a few minutes, it seemed like hours had passed before the Sorting Hat finally chose a suitable house for Lucy Thompson.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

McGonagall removed the hat and gave her an encouraging smile. Lucy looked slightly disheartened by this, but made her way proudly, nonetheless, to the Gryffindor table and sat on the very end. Everyone was applauding but less enthusiastically due to the confusion about this strange new girl. Lucy; however, did not seem to notice or care, nor did she respond to anyone's attempt at conversation. She sat up very straight and kept her eyes toward the staff table.

Professor Dumbledore stood soon after to give his usual Halloween speech. Again, Harry found himself only half – listening. He was too busy watching the Thompson girl. She was very odd indeed. She never took her eyes away from Professor Dumbledore throughout the entire speech. It wasn't a particularly long speech, Dumbledore never did say much, but Harry would swear that she never blinked.

Suddenly, everyone got up and began leaving the hall, and Harry guessed he had missed Dumbledore dismissing them. Looking around, he saw that Hermione had already hurried off and Ron was waiting for him impatiently. Harry looked back to where Lucy Thompson had been sitting, but she somehow slipped away and was nowhere to be seen. Harry supposed Hermione had hurried off to show her around. So Harry decided he had better get back to Gryffindor tower and get a start on his homework.

* * *

The tower was already mostly deserted when Harry and Ron got there. Ginny Weasley was in one corner with a few first years, demonstrating Skiving Snackboxes and a few other different Weasley's Wizard Wheezes products. She informed Harry, Ron, and Hermione that she was the Hogwarts spokesperson for her twin brothers' shop earlier that year. Ron sat down in one of the chairs beside the fire and began searching for something, and Hermione was coming down the stairs from the girls' dormitories.

"I don't know what to think about that Lucy Thompson!" she said in an exasperated voice. "I swear she wasn't listening to a word I said! And when she did look at me, she didn't even blink! She didn't say a word! Not even thank you!"

"Well, she's probably just nervous, Hermione," Harry reasoned as he sat in his favorite chair by the fireplace. "It's her first time in public school, right? It'd make me nervous."

Hermione seemed to ponder this for a moment before sitting down near Ron and responding.

"I guess so. She just seemed rude is all."

"Well, I had better try to get a start on my homework," Harry changed the subject. "Potions is really taking it out of me."

"Harry, you haven't finished your potions essay? It's due tomorrow!" Hermione scolded.

"I know, Hermione," he told her. "I'll have it done."

"Harry, we're in N.E.W.T. level classes now," Hermione reminded him. "We have to be more responsible."

It was obvious that by "we" Hermione meant Harry and Ron.

"Didn't that girl seem a little small to be a sixth year?" Ron switched the subject back.

"Well, she was short, but her face made her look her age," Hermione responded. "Now, not another word about it. It's isn't polite."

"Isn't polite? Weren't you just calling her weird and rude?" Ron asked.

"I never said weird!" Hermione said defensively as she stood from her seat. "Now I'm going to bed because unlike you irresponsible people, I have all my homework finished!"

Harry and Ron watched Hermione storm up the stairs before speaking again.

"What the bloody hell is her problem?" Ron asked, looking almost offended. Harry shrugged.

Ron looked down at the parchment and quill he had pulled out of his bag for a long moment before grabbing his bag, stuffing it back in, and standing.

"I'll do this later. I can't concentrate," he told Harry. "I'm going to bed. You coming?"

"No, I have to get this potions done. I'm doing bad enough in that class as it is," Harry responed.

"Suit yourself," Ron shrugged, flung his bag over his shoulder, and walked up the stairs to the boys' dormitories muttering something that sounded like _"So glad I dropped that class."_

Harry pulled out his Potions book, parchment, quill, and ink and set to work. He sat staring motionlessly at the same page of the book, before he let himself realize that he had no idea what the properties of the Dreamless Sleep Draught were, let alone its exact composition. With a grunt of frustration, Harry slammed his quill down on his parchment and put his head in his hands, wishing Ron hadn't made Herimione storm off. He had nearly fallen asleep when a small noise caught his attention. Someone was coming down the stairs from the girls' dormitories. Harry hoped it was Hermione. She would most certainly help him.

But it was not Hermione Granger that could not sleep that night. Harry looked up to see Lucy Thompson creeping down the stairs, her long orange hair trailing in a braid down her back. She noticed him immediately and froze.

**_Sorry for any mistakes! I am not a native english speaker, and my english is a little faulty. This is my first fiction, so please try to be gentle! I love reviews! I won't keep writing unless someone reviews! I need them for strength! LOL! Thank you very much for reading!_**


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